shoot out: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal, Sports, Media
Quick answer
What does “shoot out” mean?
To fire projectiles rapidly or to engage in a decisive contest or competition.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To fire projectiles rapidly or to engage in a decisive contest or competition.
A rapid exchange of gunfire; a decisive method to settle a tie in sports (especially football penalties); a fast-paced, aggressive competition or event.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'shoot-out' (with hyphen) as a noun is more common in formal writing, though the solid form 'shootout' is also used. In American English, 'shootout' is predominantly solid. The sports sense (penalty shootout) is equally understood but more frequent in UK media due to football prominence.
Connotations
Both share core connotations of violence/sports. The gunfight sense may be slightly more salient in AmE due to media; the sports sense more salient in BrE.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK sports journalism. In general news, frequency is similar.
Grammar
How to Use “shoot out” in a Sentence
[Subject] shoot out [Object] (e.g., flames shot out)[Teams] go to/shoot it outshoot it out with [opponent]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “shoot out” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The police were forced to shoot it out with the armed robbers.
- Flames began to shoot out from the upstairs window.
American English
- The two gangs shot it out in the street.
- Sparks shot out from the faulty wiring.
adverb
British English
- Not typically used as an adverb.
American English
- Not typically used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- It was a shoot-out competition to decide the winner. (Hyphenated attributive)
American English
- The movie featured an epic shootout scene.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphor for a fierce competitive tender or pitch. 'The two firms are in a shootout for the contract.'
Academic
Rare, except in historical or criminology contexts describing armed conflicts.
Everyday
Common in sports news ('The match went to a penalty shootout.') and action film descriptions.
Technical
In sports rules (FIFA Laws of the Game); in military/police contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “shoot out”
- Using 'shootout' as a verb (correct: 'shoot it out').
- Confusing 'shootout' with 'shootout' as a single word only for noun.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
As a noun meaning a gunfight or sports decider, it is usually written as one solid word ('shootout') or hyphenated ('shoot-out'), especially in BrE. The verb phrase is always two words ('shoot out').
Yes, metaphorically. It describes an intense, winner-takes-all competition between companies or individuals, e.g., 'a shootout for the acquisition'.
'Shootout' is primarily a noun. 'Shoot it out' is a verb phrase meaning to engage in a shootout. You 'have a shootout' or 'shoot it out'.
Primarily, yes. The term is strongly associated with football (soccer) to decide knockout matches. Similar tiebreakers in other sports (e.g., NHL) are usually called 'shootouts' as well.
To fire projectiles rapidly or to engage in a decisive contest or competition.
Shoot out is usually informal, sports, media in register.
Shoot out: in British English it is pronounced /ˈʃuːt aʊt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈʃuːt aʊt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “shoot it out”
- “go down in a blaze of glory (related)”
- “a shootout at the OK Corral”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: SHOOT (fire bullets or a ball) + OUT (to decide who is OUT). A shootout decides who is out of the competition.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONFLICT IS FIRE/SPORTS COMPETITION IS WAR. A high-stakes competition is conceptualized as a violent exchange.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'shootout' LEAST likely to be used?